US Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson died on February 17, 2026, at the age of 84. He was a key figure after Martin Luther King Jr’s assassination. He also ran for US president in 1988 and paved the way for Barack Obama. Let's try to know more about his early career, along with famous quotes.

US Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson died on February 17, 2026, at the age of 84. He was a key figure after Martin Luther King Jr’s assassination. He also ran for US president in 1988 and paved the way for Barack Obama. Let's try to know more about his early career, along with famous quotes.

Jesse Jackson's early life & powerful quotes that define his legacy | IN PICS

The Rev Jesse Jackson, a prominent personality in the civil rights movement for more than 50 years and a key contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1988, has passed away at the age of 84. “Our father was a servant leader – not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the Jackson family said.&nbsp;“We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family. His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honour his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by," the family added. The cause of his death is still unknown.&nbsp;<h3>Jackson was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease</h3>For over a decade, Jackson had progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), who was originally diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He was also admitted to the hospital twice with Covid in recent years.&nbsp;Rev Jesse Jackson was a fixture in the civil rights movement and Democratic politics since the 1960s. He was also once close to Dr Martin Luther King Jr. “I was a trailblazer, I was a pathfinder. I had to deal with doubt, cynicism and fears about a Black person running. There were Black scholars writing papers about why I was wasting my time. Even Blacks said a Black couldn’t win," Jackson told the Guardian in May 2020.&nbsp;Two decades after Jackson’s second presidential bid, Barack Obama, the first Black president of the United States, paid tribute to him, saying Jackson helped pave the way for his own historic victory. Obama marked the moment in Chicago, a city closely associated with Jackson. “It was a big moment in history,” Jackson said after 12 years, the Gaudian reported.&nbsp;During the Covid pandemic, he campaigned against disparities in care and outcomes, asking: “After 400 years of slavery, segregation and discrimination, why would anybody be shocked that African Americans are dying disproportionately from the coronavirus?”&nbsp;He also said that successive presidents had fallen short of eradicating what he described as the “virus of white supremacy” and addressing the complex challenges faced by African Americans. &nbsp;

Rev Jesse Jackson was a fixture in the civil rights movement and Democratic politics since the 1960s. He was also once close to Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Meanwhile, the cause of his death is still unknown.

The Rev Jesse Jackson, a prominent personality in the civil rights movement for more than 50 years and a key contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1988, has passed away at the age of 84. “Our father was a servant leader – not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the Jackson family said. “We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family. His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honour his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by," the family added. The cause of his death is still unknown. Jackson was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease For over a decade, Jackson had progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), who was originally diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He was also admitted to the hospital twice with Covid in recent years. Rev Jesse Jackson was a fixture in the civil rights movement and Democratic politics since the 1960s. He was also once close to Dr Martin Luther King Jr. “I was a trailblazer, I was a pathfinder. I had to deal with doubt, cynicism and fears about a Black person running. There were Black scholars writing papers about why I was wasting my time. Even Blacks said a Black couldn’t win," Jackson told the Guardian in May 2020. Two decades after Jackson’s second presidential bid, Barack Obama, the first Black president of the United States, paid tribute to him, saying Jackson helped pave the way for his own historic victory. Obama marked the moment in Chicago, a city closely associated with Jackson. “It was a big moment in history,” Jackson said after 12 years, the Gaudian reported. During the Covid pandemic, he campaigned against disparities in care and outcomes, asking: “After 400 years of slavery, segregation and discrimination, why would anybody be shocked that African Americans are dying disproportionately from the coronavirus?” He also said that successive presidents had fallen short of eradicating what he described as the “virus of white supremacy” and addressing the complex challenges faced by African Americans.

Rev Jesse Jackson was a fixture in the civil rights movement and Democratic politics since the 1960s. He was also once close to Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Meanwhile, the cause of his death is still unknown.

US civil rights icon Rev Jesse Jackson passes away at 84

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Jesse Jackson's early life & powerful quotes that define his legacy | IN PICS

US civil rights icon Rev Jesse Jackson passes away at 84